Talking moving-picture mechanism.



0. E. KELLUM. TALKING MOVING PICTURE MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNEZB, 1911. RENEWED APR. 16, 1912.

Patented May 28, 1912. 5

ORLANDO E. KELLUM, OF LOS ANGEIQES, CALIFORNIA.

TALKING MOVING-PICTURE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 28,1912.

Application filed June 28, 1911, Serial No. 635,763. Renewed April 16, 1912. Serial No. 691,222.

is a specification.

This invention relates to a combination of a sound reproducing machine and a kinetograph, and particularly to the means and mechanism'for inter-connecting or combining the two machines in order to cause them to move synchronously.

It is the prime object of this invention to provide a means for so connecting the two machines that an intelligible visual and audible exhibition may be given simultaneously so that, for instance, characters seen in action on the kinetograph screen will be heard to utter sounds in correspondence with their actions. For this purpose it is necessary that the original records of the actions and sounds be taken simultaneously or in some other manner to insure synchronism, so that there will be a mechanical corre spondence of diflerent parts of the sound and light records.

Supposing that records are taken of a dramatic action, a kinetograph film being exposed and a sound record'being cut simultaneouslyp when these records are finished and are ready for reproduction, it is only necessary that tliey be run through the re, spective reproducing machines in the same relative synchronism at which they were made originally. This synchronism may be reduced to the simple form of a certain number of kinetograph exposures to each revolution of the record in the sound reproducing mechanism; and if means are used to keep, the film and record in such synchronism while being exposed and made originally, it is only necessary for their synchronous reproduction that the same synchronism be kept in the reproducing machines. Thus, the film might beoriginally exposed at the rate of twenty-five exposures per second while the record might be rotated at the rate of three revolutions per second. If, then, the two reproducing machines are kept running so as to reproduce this synchronism, then the visual and audible reproductions made will be synchronous just as they were when first made by the actors in the drama.

My invention consists primarily of a simple device attachable to a sound reproducing mechanism and a kinetograph for the purpose of keeping the two machines in syno chronism; and the machine takes .the form of a motor for operating the kinetograph and is supplied with electric through a timer or distributor which is operatedrdirectly by the sound reproducing 5 mechanism.

The-exact structure will become more evident from the following specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative arrangement of the motor and timer and the connections between the same. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relative. positions of the parts of the motor. -Fig.'

3 is a View illustrating the attachment of the motorto the kinetograph. Fig. 4 is a View illustrating the attachment of the timer or distributer to the sound reproducing mech anism.

In the drawings 5 designates a crank so shaft set in bearings 6 which are suspended from a frame 7 which in turn supports a series of solenoids 8. Solenoids 8 are shown to be six; in number in the present machine and are each provided with a plunger or armature core 9 adapted to reciprocate in the solenoid and to be attracted by the solenoid in the direction indicated. Each of the plungers is connected to one of the cranks on crank shaft 5 byv a'connecting rod 10. .These cranks, which I have designated 1*, 2 3?, 1, 5 and 6 are so spaced, as is indicated in Fig. 2, as to cause the solenoid plungers to successively come to their pulling positions; thatis, their positions where the plungers may be attracted by the solenoids to cause the crank shaft to rotate in the direction indicated. A gear 15 may be placed on the crank shaft for meshing with a gear 16 mounted on actuating shaft 17 of I may employ a timer or distributer 25' which consists of a rotating contact 26 110 adapted to travel over the faces of circumferentially arranged contacts 27. These "current contacts 27 are six in number in the present machine and are spaced apart as illustrated and bear approximately the relation in size to rotating contact 26 as shown. Rotating contact 26 is .mounted on shaft 28 and this shaft is ro-tatively connected to the sound reproducing mechanism, as by gears 29 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Here I have shown theco-nnection directly to the mandrel or table shaft 30 of the sound reproducing mechanism, so that the timer will be run in a definite relation to the rotation of the sound record 31. Each of stationary contacts 27 is connected by a suitable wire 35 to one side of one of solenoids 8. The other side of each of the solenoids is connected to a single Wire'36 which leads from one side of a source of electrical energy 37, another wire 38 leading from the other side of this source to shaft 28 and thence to rotating contact 26. As contact 26 moves in the direction indi cated it will be seen that current will be successively supplied to different solenoids 8, and the arrangements are such that current Will be supplied to the solenoids so that their plungers will be pulled upwardly when the effect will be to rotate the crankshaft. lVith the parts in the positions illustrated it will be seen that current is being supplied to the solenoids whose plungers are connected to cranks 2 and 3 Both these cranks, by reference to Fig. 2, are in position to rotate the crank shaft on being pulled upwardly. In their rotation crank 3 will first reach the position now occupied by crank P, but, in the meantime, rotating contact 26 will have passed off the stationary contact which supplies current to that solenoid connected with crank 3 and will momentarily supply current alone to the solenoid connected with crank 2 In the meantime, crank 1 is coming into proper position, nearing the position now occupied by crank 2 and when it reaches that position the contact 26 will have engaged with contact 27 which is connected to solenoid 8 acting upon crank 1 and current will be supplied then to the two solenoids acting upon cranks 2" and 1. This action will be repeated and the solenoids supplied with current in regular rotation, each solenoid causing the rotation of the shaft through a sixth of a revolution.

By making the number of solenoids six or more I provlde for a steady and even rot-ation of the crank shaft and for a consequent steady'rotation and operation of the kinetograph. Thetimer or distributer will be operated steadily by reason of being mechanically connected to the sound reproducing mechanism which is usually controlled by a .governor or other device for causing its sound reproducing mechanism and adapted to transmit to a plurality of circuits regularly succeeding electrical impulses, an electric motor comprising a plurality of electro- ,magnets and armatures attractable by the magnets and operatively connected to the kinetograph to operate the same by virtue of their magnetically induced movements, a source of electrical energy, and circuits each including one of the electromagnets, the timer and the source: in series.

2. In combination with a sound reproducing mechanism and a kinetograph, an electric timer mechanically connected to the sound reproducing mechanism and adapted to transmit to a plurality of circuits regularly succeeding electrical impulses, an electric motor comprising a plurality of electromagnets in the form of solenoids, an armature core for each solenoid, a crank shafthaving cranks thereonspaced there-around, connecting rods between the cranks and the cores, and connecting means between the crank shaft,and the kinetograph, a source of electrical energy, and circuits each including one of the electro-magnets, the timer and the source in series.

3. In combination with a sound reproducing mechanism and a kinetograph, a motor mechanism mechanically connected to one of the machines and comprising a plurality of electro-magnets, and armatures for the magnets and attractable thereby, an electric circuit for each of the electro-magnets, and means operatively connected to the other of the said machines to cause electrical im ulses in said circuits in regular order.

n witness that -I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of June 1911.

' ORLANDO E. KELLUM.

Witnesses:

JAMns T. BARKELEW, EDWARD H. BARKELEW.

and the arrangement of the 

